Written question WQ98102
- Asked by
- Gareth DaviesConservative
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 2 days
Question
What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the disparity between NHS England and NHS Wales in financial support for medical student elective placements?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
Medical students undertaking elective placements are supported through the standard student finance arrangements provided by Student Finance Wales. This includes access to maintenance support when placements require students to live away from their term‑time address.
In 2023, the former Minister for Health and Social Care announced the decision to remove the Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan, enabling eligible full‑time Welsh‑domiciled NHS Wales Bursary students to access the full maintenance loan from the 2024-25 academic year. This ensures students can draw on the maximum support available to help meet the additional costs associated with electives, including accommodation and visa‑related expenses where these apply. Students may also seek discretionary assistance through university hardship funds where appropriate.
The support system in Wales is structured differently to that in England, reflecting our policy choice to provide broad access to the full maintenance loan alongside institutional hardship schemes. NHS England’s Learning Support Fund offers specific reimbursement routes for certain placement‑related expenses.